


From the First to the Last

by staragii



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Canon Universe, Childhood Friends, First Meetings, Last Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-11-08 22:41:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20843216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/staragii/pseuds/staragii
Summary: From their first meeting to their last, Sylvain and Felix were inseparable. We know a lot of what happened in between, but how did it start? And how did it end?A oneshot set in the canon universe about Sylvain and Felix's very first meeting, and their last.





	From the First to the Last

The first time Sylvain saw Felix was when they were five years old. His father had taken a trip south to visit with some of the other noble families, and so they’d found themselves at the castle in Fhirdiad.Sylvain had been clutching his nanny’s skirts, cautious of the other children, when a dark-haired kid holding a wooden sword had bumped into him.

“Watch it!” The dark-haired boy said, brandishing his toy sword in Sylvain’s direction. Sylvain frowned letting go of his nanny’s skirts with one hand and rubbing his side where the boy had hit him.

“You hit me, stupid. You should apologize!” Sylvain stuck his tongue out at him, then felt a hand ruffle his hair. His nanny smiled at him, then gently pushed him towards the other boy.

“Now, now, dear, this is the younger Fraldarius! You remember his older brother don’t you? He came to visit us a few winters past to help your Father,” she explained. She turned to the other boy, still smiling. “Your name is Felix, right? Why don’t you two go run along and play, I heard the other children are planning on holding a mock battle in the courtyard with the prince.”  
  
Sylvain looked at the other boy dubiously. “But he hit me,” he said plainly, crossing his arms. “I don’t want to play with him.” The other boy, Felix, had already tucked his small sword into his belt, resting his hand on it’s hilt as if mimicking a knight or seasoned warrior.

“Sorry.” Sylvain’s eyes widened. He hadn’t expected him to apologize so quickly. “I was chasing after Dimi but he’s already gotten away. If you want, I’ll lend you one of my other swords.” Felix extended his other hand to Sylvain, and then he smiled. It was a big, toothy smile, and Sylvain would never forget it. “C’mon, they’re about to start the game. If you want, you can be in my army.”

Sylvain took the hand Felix offered him, smiling, the collision a few moments before already forgotten at the mention of a game. “Can I be a knight too? I know how to fight already!” Sylvain’s smile matched Felix’s, and his nanny giggled at the two adorable children who already seemed on their way to becoming fast friends.

“Yeah, sure. I’m gonna be an assassin, because Dimi says only assassins use daggers, and my brother just got me one! It’s back with the others though because Ingrid wanted to borrow it.” Felix led Sylvain to a small courtyard in the middle of the castle where a gaggle off other children were playing with wooden swords, shields, and even small wooden horses. It was an army of young lords and ladies, all laughing and smacking each other around. There was an older boy that Sylvain vaguely recognized watching over them all, a real sword at his hip, and he was acting as a sort of referee. What the rules were,Sylvain had yet to find out, but he was eager to join in the fun.

“Glenn! I found someone else to play with us!” Felix ran up to the older boy and tugged at his shirt, then pointed to Sylvain. “That one! Uh…” Felix paused, then flushed bright red, embarrassed, reaching up on his tiptoes to whisper in his brothers ear. “I, um, didn’t ask his name. Could you?”

Glenn laughed and jokingly punched his younger brothers shoulder. “You’re hopeless, kiddo.” He turned to Sylvain, reaching down for a handshake. “You’re Margrave Gautier’s son, Sylvain, correct?” Sylvain nodded, shaking Glenn’s hand. “You were a little younger when we met before. I’m Glenn, Felix’s older brother, Duke Fraldarius’s son. Would you like to join in our game?”

“Yes, please!” Sylvain nodded eagerly, and Felix looked around for a weapon to give him.

“Hey Dimi!” Felix called out, and a long-haired blond boy perked up, looking over from where he was sparring with a young girl. The girl didn’t notice he’d looked away before she hit him over the head with a loud THWACK. The blond boy yelped and rubbed his head, and Felix winced. He turned to Sylvain. “That’s Ingrid. Be careful around her, she’s strong, especially for a girl.” The blond boy, the one who must be the aforementioned ‘Dimi’, said something to her before running over to them. He was still rubbing his head when he got to them. “Dimi, this is Sylvain. He wants to join us. Where’d the extra swords go? Mine was over here somewhere.”

“Oh, hi! I’m Dimitri.” Dimitri smiled at Sylvain, then turned back to Felix. “Ingrid stole them ‘cuz she said if we’re making her the bad guy she gets to hog the weapons because she’s a bandit. She said we can only get them back if we let her be a knight too.” Dimitri’s tone was mildly bitter as he rubbed his head.

Felix rolled his eyes, then cupped his hands around his mouth to shout. “INGRID,” he called out. The blond girl looked up, brow furrowed, wooden sword brandished. “You can be a knight if you give Sylvain a sword! We’ll be the bandits!”

The girl, Ingrid, grinned, and filled her arms with the toy weapons she had piled up behind her, and ran over to them. “Hey, I’m Ingrid, here’s a sword for you,” she said by way of introduction to Sylvain, shoving a wooden sword in his hand. “So you are finally going to be the bandit Felix?”

Sylvain stuffed the sword into his belt and looked at Felix for instruction. Felix grinned, taking Sylvain’s hand again. “Not just me. _We’re_ gonna be the bandits this time. Right, Sylvain?” His lopsided smile gave Sylvain all the reason he needed to smile back, excited and fired up.

“Yeah! And you guys better watch out. I’ve been training every day with our knights! Just you wait, we’re going to make a great team.” Sylvain and Felix scampered off to their side of the courtyard, and Glenn chuckled.

“Well then, Dimitri, Ingrid. Looks like we’ll leave protecting Fhirdiad up to you this afternoon. Do you think you can keep the bandits outside of the castle, or is evil going to triumph today?” His tone was playful, but the two children he was speaking to were already huddled together discussing their strategies.

A few minutes later the two pairs faced each other off on opposite sides of the courtyard, a few other children from around the castle bolstering their troops on either side. Ingrid and Dimitri had snagged blue handkerchiefs from a passing maid, and tied them to their belts, marking their positions as knights of Faerghus. Felix and Sylvain were helping each other tie black sashes around each other’s arms. Felix finished the knot on Sylvain’s, then held a hand up. Sylvain met it with his own, and the two high-fived, grinning at each other.

“I don’t plan on losing our first battle together, fellow bandit,” Felix readied his sword, glancing at Sylvain, who was struggling with his toy horse. The ginger boy looked up at him, and did his best to raise his eyebrow.

“I don’t plan on losing any of our battles together, Felix.” Sylvain was referring to their game for the rest of their time in Fhirdiad, blissfully unaware of the future to come. Felix laughed, nodding.

“Yeah. Let’s win them all together!” The two charged, grinning, swords in the air, and Sylvain had never felt happier.

The air was thick with the scent of blood and dirt. Sylvain looked around, eyes darting from one side to the other, heart pounding in his chest as his horse picked it’s way through the battlefield. Sylvain wandered through no-mans-land for the better part of an hour, voice hoarse from calling out, searching and hoping beyond hope for a reply from someone, anyone. When he finally got a reply, he could feel his heart splitting in two.

“—lvain. Sylvain!” A strained voice from somewhere nearby caught Sylvain’s attention. He dismounted and ran over, gloved hands tearing away at the mud until he saw a familiar teal jacket. Felix’s face was stained red with blood, hair matted to his face and mud caked onto him. He looked as if he’d been laying there for days, but it had only been a few hours since they’d marched alongside each other, headfirst into the ambush. Sylvain unearthed him, then pulled him into his lap, cradling Felix’s head in his hands.

“Felix, damnit, why’d you have to be so damned reckless?” Sylvain’s voice shook, eyes stinging as he fought back tears. He brushed the hair from Felix’s face, then started to examine him. The hole in Felix’s side was heart-wrenching and beyond repair. Even if he could find Mercedes, he was certain that even she couldn’t fix what was left of his best friend. Instead, Sylvain tugged of his mark and covered Felix’s stomach with it. “I could have—“

“Died along with me?” Felix laughed, voice rough, and it turned into a cough. “As if I would let that happen, Sylvain.” Felix’s eyes were soft, but Sylvain wasn’t sure if that was because he was starting to pass out or if he was simply deciding to finally show some venerability as he came to terms with…with…

Sylvain bent over Felix’s body, forehead pressed to chest plate, and broke down. A sob wrenched itself from his throat, his face contorted in pain. “I was _supposed_ to, you idiot!” Sylvain’s hands balled into fists and he squeezed his eyes shut as the tears started to pour down his face. “We promised. You _promised_ me, Felix! We weren’t going to die without each other!”

Felix’s hand found Sylvain’s hair, and he brushed his fingers through it, uncoordinated yet gentle. “You’re here, aren’t you? I consider that a promise kept.” Felix’s voice was starting to fade, his eyes close, but Sylvain wouldn’t allow it. He sat up, grasping Felix’s hand in both of his own, glaring down at the man who had lived his life beside him. The one who had been with him through everything, who had promised to never leave his side no matter the reason or cost.

“Well I _don’t_,” Sylvain hissed, tears forming a small puddle below on Felix’s filthy armor. “You promised never to leave me. Are you really going to leave me behind? After everything, Felix?” Sylvain’s voice broke and Felix’s hand started to go limp. Sylvain held it tighter, then brought it to his lips, kissing the soiled fingertips of Felix’s gloves. “You can’t. Felix. Please.”  
  
“Sylvain,” Felix coughed, eyes blinking slowly. “Promise me you won’t…don’t follow…not…yet.” His face was stern, as stern as he could muster, but Sylvain shook his head. How could Felix ask that of him? After everything they’d been through, to ask him to _wait_, to not follow him, to let him go alone into whatever came after. Sylvain couldn’t bear the the thought.

“_Don’t_,” Sylvain sobbed, laying Felix’s hand across his chest and cupping his cheeks. “Felix, please, please, I’m begging here. Don’t make me, I can’t. You can’t expect me to—“

“Sylvain.” Felix’s voice, while softer, was insistent. “_Promise_.”

Sylvain choked back a scream, heart beating like a drum in his chest. He’d never lied to Felix, never in their entire lives. He’d bent the truth a time or two, or left out something for the sake of not seeming a fool, but never a boldfaced lie. Not until now. “Alright,” he said, brushing his thing over Felix’s cheek. “I promise.” Sylvain bent down, and kissed him softly. It lasted no more than a second, Felix’s lips already cold as stone, and when Sylvain sat back up, he was gone.

He closed Felix’s eyes, sitting with him for what could have been minutes or hours, he wasn’t sure. Time didn’t pass for him anymore. After he’d had enough of staring at the barren field around him, Sylvain carefully took Felix’s dagger from the folds of his coat, doing his best to not disturb his peaceful rest. “I’m sorry, Felix,” Sylvain whispered to the wind. “You broke a promise to me, it’s only fitting that I must as well. Goodnight, my love.”

A few seconds later, Sylvain lay hunched over Felix. From afar, they looked as they usually did, alone in their own world, and in a way, they were. And would be, for the rest of time.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Oneshots aren't my speciality but I got the idea going through prompt lists and I had to. Also, I shed several tears writing this and after editing, went back and read the first part just to make myself happy again. I promise I'll write a happy ending for them next time!
> 
> -A


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